


millions of little wings take flight

by A Magiluna Stormwriter (ariestess)



Category: The Wicked Years Series - Gregory Maguire, Wicked - All Media Types, Wicked - Schwartz/Holzman
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, First Kiss, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-23
Updated: 2015-10-23
Packaged: 2018-04-27 19:06:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5060458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariestess/pseuds/A%20Magiluna%20Stormwriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Those millions of little wings take flight now, making my whole body tingle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	millions of little wings take flight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [brilligspoons](https://archiveofourown.org/users/brilligspoons/gifts).



> Thank you to my beta.
> 
>  **Spoilers:** This takes place after Elphaba and Fiyero saved the lion cub, but before Elphaba and G(a)linda go to the Emerald City. In other words, Elphaba's not yet used to the new name.
> 
> More to come soon...

"Where is my cloak?"

Glancing up, I hope my smile doesn't look _too_ guilty. "Where did you leave it last, Elphie? That's probably the best place to start looking for it now."

She grumbles something under her breath, and the sound sends a shiver down my spine. Clearly it's just because I know how she gets when she's angry. And she's been so stressed out lately. This was a stupid idea.

"Really, Galinda? How imbecilic do you date me for?"

What did she just--

"How imbecilic do I _what_ you for?"

"Take. Do I need to spell the word for you now, too?" she replies, turning to stare at me as if I've turned the same putrescent shade of green as she is. "How in all of Oz did you manage to get into Shiz if you can't even pay attention to what I'm saying to you?"

I shake my head, feeling my cheeks heat up in embarrassment and anger. "It's-- I just thought you said something else, that's all." I shake my head, letting my curls move cutely. "It's so early. No one should be up this early without a good reason."

"I _have_ a good reason."

"School doesn't count, Elphie," I reply, rolling my eyes. "And besides, it's a Saturday. You don't have any classes today. You should be relaxing and sleeping in, getting your beauty rest."

"If that were the case, I'd never wake up. Isn't that right, miss belle of the ball?"

"I--" The blushing heating up my face gets hotter. "I never said any such thing, Elphaba!"

She gets down on her knees to look under her bed again, muttering something I can't quite make out. Given her mood, it's probably best that I don't know what she's saying. Slapping the floor, she turns and crawls toward me on hands and knees, a menacing look on her face that sends a shiver down my spine to pool hotly in my belly. She flips up my covers and, for a second, I think she's going to attack me. Instead, she half-crawls under my bed.

"Aha!" Her triumphant crow is muffled by the bedframe, but when she backs out to kneel in front of me, I can see the smile on her face… and the cloak in her hand. "You _did_ take it!"

Oh poo!

"I can explain, Elphie."

Anger transforms her face into something that is truly terrifying. But it's also kind of beautiful in its glorious grotesquery. She holds up the cloak, shoving it in my face as she leans in dangerously close.

"How did my cloak end up shoved up in the corner under your bed? It's _filthy_ and your bedsprings have probably torn it to ribbons. You know I don't have your family's money to replace this. Do you even comprehend how expensive it's going to be?"

"There's nothing to replace, Elphie," I finally say, grabbing for the cloak and pushing her away. "If you'd just stop being all growly and let me explain?"

Still on her knees, she leans back and motions for me to continue. But it looks like the angry lines on her brow are starting to soften. With care, I spread out the cloak, looking for a very specific section, then point at it.

"Do you see this spot? You tore it somehow yesterday. Probably when you were out gallivanting about in the woods, searching for that lion cub that _escaped_."

She takes the cloak then, staring at the spot, frown lines deepening again. "There's no tear here. What sport is this, Galinda?"

"No, there isn't a tear there, not anymore, because I waited until you fell asleep last night and used my considerable embroidery skills to repair it as invisibly as possible, as well as half a dozen other smaller tears and snags that I found. Just like I have every single night after you've been careless about your safety." I shove the cloak back at her, fighting frustrated tears. "And for the record, I spent some of that money you despise to buy waterproof thread to do it. _You_ may not care if your precious waterproof cloak gets tears in it that can hurt you, but _I_ do."

Elphie stumbles back under the forced weight of the material, dropping onto her bottom on the floor. The next several minutes are spent in a strained silence as she pores over the cloak with a clearly critical eye, stroking each small repair made.

If I'm honest with myself, I could probably recite the date and any injuries she sustained for each of those now-repaired rips and snags. But I don't like to be _that_ honest with myself. Especially where one Elphaba Thropp, Third Thropp Descending, is concerned. She's just my mean, unpopular, _forced upon me_ roommate in this school. She's not importa--

Wait! What was that sound? It sounded like she hissed in pain. Is she hurt again?

"No, I'm not hurt again," she replies in a low voice filled with an emotion I can't quite name, but it's enough to get me to push back my warm covers.

Before I can move any further, she's suddenly on the bed next to me, one hand cupping my chin, the other dropping the cloak on my bedding. And then she-- She _kisses_ me! It's brief and her lips are dry, but softer than I expected. There's a tickle wiggling in my belly, like a whole flock of butterflies bursting out of their cocoons at the same time. Without thought, I grab for her ugly, plain braid when she tries to pull away. Elphie stiffens slightly, but stops moving, which allows me the opportunity to kiss her again. Those millions of little wings take flight now, making my whole body tingle.

And then there's that soft sound again, only this time I feel it against my lips. Pulling back to look at her, I still keep my grip on her hair so she won't flit away. There are tear tracks on her cheeks, pain and moisture making her dark eyes even murkier.

"Elphie? What's wrong? You're really hurt, aren't you?"

She grumbles and tries to move away, but I don't let go of her. My free hand lifts up to blot at the tear tracks gently with the sleeve of my nightdress. She stills under my touch, eyes closing with a soft sigh.

"Where's your oil? Will that help with the pain?"

She nods mutely and points to her dresser. Only when I'm sure she won't move, I go to get the oil. Returning to the bed, I gently massage the viscous liquid onto her cheeks, moving out to her whole face. She makes this soft little mewling noise that I've never heard before, but I want to hear it again. And before I realize it, I'm oiling her arms in turn, shoulder to elbow to each individual knuckle. That's when I stop, unable to exceed propriety by moving her garments at all.

"Why are you doing this?" she asks, voice rough with more of that same emotion swimming in her eyes. "Any of this?" She gestures toward her cloak this time.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Because you hate me, Galinda? You've made that more than obvious."

"First things first, Elphie, it's _Glinda_ , in honor of Doctor Dillamond. And if you paid attention, you'd know that I did that." I grin when she harrumphs softly, then shift to undo her messy, plain braid in an attempt to fix it. If she's going to wear that boring style, it should look good. "As for your cloak, I know you have issues with water. I don't understand that, but I know that you'd rather die than have it touch you. And I know how to sew, so it seemed the least I could do for you."

"And the oil? My hair?"

She reaches up to touch my hands on her hair -- have those butterflies multiplied _already_? -- but doesn't say anything else. After a moment, I resume fixing her braid.

"No one should suffer in silence alone," is all I say. "And no one should be the brunt of someone else's amusement just for being different. I'm sorry, Elphie, for… For everything."

As I tie off her braid, she turns around to study my face for a long moment or two. I want to look away, suddenly feeling very overwhelmed by everything that's happened this morning, but I don't. I meet her gaze openly, ready to face whatever retribution she feels is necessary.

What I don't expect is to be kissed again, the sensation accompanied by a soft noise that sounds suspiciously like a giggle. From _Elphie_? No, that can't be right. I've clearly lost my mind.

"I hated you when we first had to room together, you and all of your uppity friends," she murmurs against my lips. "But you have proven to be a delightful surprise, my sweet."

That name makes me shiver in all the best ways possible. I don't know where this new turn in our relationship will go, but I will do everything I can to see her smile and hear her call me _my sweet_ again.


End file.
